Life in Belfast as represented on its walls – Murals, Graffiti, Street Art

CR gas, along with CS, VX and other chemical agents, was developed at the MoD lab in Porton Down, and authorised and available for use from 1973 onwards against prisoners in Long Kesh (Guardian). Jim McCann was in Long Kesh during the ‘Battle Of Long Kesh’, when republican prisoners attempted to burn down the cages in which they were being kept in protest at conditions in the camp (An Phoblacht). His memoir, And The Gates Flew Open (An Ceathrú Póilí), continues the campaign by him and other prisoners to get the British to admit that the gas was used on inmates during the riot. The book was launched last month in the Cultúrlann.

In the lower left corner is a quoted telegram from Fr. Denis Faul, Fr. Raymond Murray: “To international Red Cross … Visited Long Kesh today with others … Request immediate investigation into use of CR gas … sub-human conditions … SOS … come immediately …” 20 Oct. 1974. These two wrote an 80-page report on the conditions at the camp following the event, entitled The Flames Of Long Kesh.

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Have you spotted a mural or piece of graffiti? Please send tips (and photos) to extramuralactivity@gmail.com or tag us on Twitter

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If you have any information about a mural/graffiti/street art, please leave a comment on the post. Questions, too.

We would love to hear from you. Please get in touch by e-mail if you want to use an image. You can get the original, full-size, version and without the copyright notice. (Our images have been used by scholars writing articles and dissertations, documentary film-makers, charities, civic groups, theatre companies, and other blogs.)

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Some of the most familiar murals are listed together just below 'For Beginners'.

Completists should check out the Extramural Activity map of murals, graffiti (both those featured on the blog and others) plus "peace" lines and re-drawn estates of the past.

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For Beginners

See our Visual Histories of the Jackson murals, Free Derry Corner, The International Wall, Northumberland Street, Iron Maiden's Eddie The Trooper, Walter Paget's The Birth Of The Irish Republic, and more.